The demand for computing power is growing at an unprecedented pace, driven by artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and ever-larger digital systems. Current electronic technologies, based on conventional transistor designs, consume vast amounts of energy and face limits in speed and endurance. Meeting future needs will require new types of computing systems that are far more energy-efficient, compact, and adaptable.
The CoSIGN project brings together leading Nordic research groups to develop a new class of computing devices based on spintronics, a technology that uses the quantum property of electron spin, alongside its charge, to perform calculations. Spintronic devices promise major gains in speed, energy efficiency, and data storage, while operating at room temperature and integrating seamlessly with existing electronics.
At the heart of CoSIGN’s approach are Spin Hall nano-oscillators (SHNOs)-tiny, nanoscale devices that act like “neurons” in the brain. When connected together, they can perform brain-inspired computing and solve complex problems more efficiently than conventional processors. CoSIGN will pioneer the use of ionic gating to precisely control these SHNOs, enabling them to function like programmable “synapses” that link neurons together. This could lead to highly adaptable, task-specific computing systems for applications ranging from AI to advanced scientific simulations.
To achieve this CoSIGN brings together researchers with distinct and necessary skills in material science, meteorology, spintronics and computing. A distinctive feature of CoSIGN is its strong focus on training and collaboration. Over three years, the network will host annual summer schools open to all Nordic universities, giving master’s students, PhD candidates, and postdoctoral researchers hands-on experience with spintronics, unconventional computing and advanced meteorology techniques.
By pooling the expertise, facilities, and creativity of multiple institutions across the Nordic region, CoSIGN will create opportunities that no single partner could achieve alone. The project will advance green, energy-efficient computing technologies, train the next generation of researchers, and strengthen the Nordic region’s leadership in high-impact, sustainable innovation.
